Gdańsk City Guide

Main Town, the Motława & the WWII Museum

From the Golden Gate down the Royal Way across the Long Market with its Neptune Fountain and Artus Court to the Green Gate on the Motława. Then along the bank to the Crane, through Mariacka lane to St Mary's Church, by boat past the shipyard to Westerplatte and finally into the Museum of the Second World War.

1. Golden Gate – This is where the Royal Way begins, the route Poland's kings took when they entered the city. The triumphal arch from 1614 carries eight allegorical figures on its attic, standing for freedom, peace, fame and concord. Stand right in front of the arch and look down the Długa: gable after gable, still almost empty in the morning. And keep in mind that nearly everything you see here was reconstructed from rubble after 1945.
2. Długi Targ & Neptune Fountain – The Long Market is the wide finale of the Royal Way, lined with narrow merchants' houses under richly decorated gables. In the middle, the Neptune Fountain has stood since 1633, the emblem of this trading city by the sea. This row is a reconstruction too: in 1945 it was a field of ruins, and the façades were rebuilt over decades from old drawings. Take a few minutes for the details - every façade tells its own story.
3. Artus Court – Artus Court, opposite the Neptune Fountain, was the merchants' assembly hall, named after King Arthur's Round Table. Inside stands an eleven-metre Renaissance tiled stove with hundreds of painted tiles, and model ships hang from the ceiling. Honest note: it's closed on Fridays, Mondays start only at noon, and the 5.15 pm last entry is non-negotiable. Half an hour is enough for the hall.
4. Green Gate – The Green Gate is Gdańsk's largest city gate and was never just a gate: built in the 16th century as a residence for Poland's kings, who in fact hardly ever stayed the night. Today a branch of the National Museum sits behind the façade with changing exhibitions. Just walk through the passage - beyond it the view opens onto the Motława and Granary Island opposite. Mondays the interior is closed, but the passage itself is always open.
5. The Crane (Żuraw) – The Żuraw is the city's landmark: a wooden harbour crane from the 15th century, powered by two huge treadwheels with people walking inside them. It lifted up to four tonnes out of ships' holds and was also used to step masts. After a major restoration it reopened in 2024, and inside the National Maritime Museum tells the story of the port. For the photo, cross the bridge to the other bank - from there the crane stands clear against the sky.
6. Mariacka lane – Mariacka is the loveliest lane in the city and for many the reason to stay longer in Gdańsk. In front of the houses lie the beischlag terraces, raised platforms with stone steps and dragon-shaped gargoyles. Amber shop follows amber shop on both sides - Gdańsk has been the Baltic's amber capital for centuries. At the end of the lane the tower of St Mary's rises like a stage set, and that's exactly where you point the camera.
7. St Mary's Church – St Mary's is one of the largest brick churches in the world, with room for several thousand people under its vaults. Inside it's surprisingly white and bright, because the Reformation stripped out the imagery - which makes the space feel even vaster. Take your time at the astronomical clock of 1470, with its calendar, zodiac and procession of figures. The tower means 409 narrow steps and a separate ticket: if time is tight, skip it - the boat gives you a fine view of the city too.
8. Boat trip to Westerplatte – From the jetty on Wartka, replicas of old galleons head down the Motława, past the cranes of the Gdańsk shipyard to Westerplatte, where the Second World War began on 1 September 1939. The round trip takes about 80 minutes and costs around 100 złoty. Honest note: there's construction work on shore right now, and it's still a good kilometre from the jetty to the monument. If you only want the ride and the old-town skyline on the way back, just stay on board.
9. Museum of the Second World War – The Museum of the Second World War is the day's most important stop: the main exhibition is largely underground and tells the war from a Polish and above all civilian perspective. The building itself, a red block tilting out of the ground, counts as one of Europe's finest museum designs on the subject. Honest note: you'd need three to four hours for all of it, and on this day you'll manage the main section. Closed Mondays; Wednesday to Sunday it stays open until 8 pm, which saves the afternoon.
10. European Solidarity Centre – If you still have the energy, add the European Solidarity Centre. The rust-brown building stands right by historic Shipyard Gate No. 2, where the 1980 strike was called that gave rise to the Eastern Bloc's first free trade union. The exhibition runs from the shipyard halls to the fall of the Iron Curtain, and the audio guide is free and genuinely well made. Open daily, Mondays included; allow two hours - and finish on the roof terrace overlooking the shipyard.